St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary
Alumni Association E-News - November/December 2006
Volume 6, No.11/12

Dear Friends,

As you are aware, the month of November was an historic one for the seminary. The Board of Trustees met for their semi-annual meeting to discuss not only their regular agenda, but also to elect the new dean of the seminary. After three days of deliberation, the Board decided to elect two people to share the leadership of the seminary. Fr John Behr, Professor of Patristics, was given the title Dean and will head the ecclesial and educational life of the seminary. Fr Chad Hatfield, currently the Dean of St Herman’s Seminary, Kodiak, Alaska, was given the title Provost (Chief Executive Officer) and will head the organizational structure of the seminary. Although both will assume their duties on July 1, 2007, they are communicating with each other regularly and often in the interim to work out the details of their responsibilities. They are already taking steps to fill important administrative positions.

In addition, the Board of Trustees elected board member, Anne Glynn-Mackoul, as Administrative Chair of the Board of Trustees. For further information, please visit: www.svots.edu.

Fr John Erickson, our Dean, along with the faculty, staff, and student body extend to each of you our prayers and best wishes at the Feast of the Nativity. May your homes, parishes, and hearts be filled with the light of our Savior’s birth.

LYDIA KESICH FALLS ASLEEP IN THE LORD

On Tuesday, November 14, the seminary was shocked to hear the news of the falling asleep of Lydia Kesich, the wife of Professor Emeritus Veselin Kesich. Lydia and Professor entered into “active retirement” in 1991 and had moved to Maine in 2001 to be closer to family. Lydia will be remembered for her intellect, hospitality, and grace. We extend to our dear professor, Veselin, and to their children, Carol and Gregory, our deepest condolences. Memory Eternal!

BISHOP NIKON VISITS CAMPUS

His Grace Bishop Nikon of New England visited the seminary campus for the Feast of the Entrance into the Temple, November 20-21. He presided at the Vigil and at the Liturgy where he ordained Deacon Robert Royer to the Holy Priesthood and tonsured Nathan Preston a reader. After the festal Liturgy, His Grace enjoyed a meal with faculty and students in the seminary refectory. Please visit: http://www.svots.edu/News/Recent/2006-1121-royer/ .

SVS PRESS AND ST NERSESS PRESS COLLABORATE IN BOOK PROJECT

SVS Press and St Nersess Press held a reception on the evening of December 6 to launch a new book entitled “Worship Traditions in Armenia and the Neighboring Christian East.” The book, the third in a series published by Avant Press, a collaborative effort by the two seminaries since 2004, is a collection of articles authored by current leading scholars in Eastern liturgy. Dr Roberta Ervine, Associate Professor of Armenia Studies at St Nersess, collected and edited the material. The book includes an introductory article by leading liturgical scholar Robert F. Taft, SJ entitled "Was the Eucharistic Anaphora Recited Secretly or Aloud? The Ancient Tradition and What Became of It.” At the reception, Professor Abraham Terian announced a fourth book in the series which will bring light to a early 4th century letter of Patriarch Macarius I of Jerusalem to the son of St Gregory the Illuminator of Armenia regarding baptismal and Eucharistic practices of that day. Please see: http://www.svots.edu/News/Recent/2006-armenianbookrelease/ .

ALUMNI BOARD MEETS

The Alumni Board met for their quarterly meeting via a teleconference call. At the meeting, the minutes of the face-to-face meeting in October were reviewed; updates were given on the election of the new seminary Dean and Provost; a report was given on progress for a continuing education track at the seminary’s summer institute; and to promote the seminary, a discussion took place about showcasing the work of our alums around the world. In addition, the board reviewed and accepted the promotional material for the Fr Thomas Hopko Alumni Scholarship Fund. Finally, a committee made up of Fr John Dresko, Fr Peter Smith, and Fr Stevo Rocknage was established to consider the possibility of developing a webpage for alums to exchange information, articles, and to provide a forum for edifying discussion.

SVS REPS MEET WITH ALUMNI AROUND THE COUNTRY

Alumni gatherings continue around the country. Dr Paul Meyendorff and Dr John Barnet visited with alums at the home of Alumni Board member Sasha Safchuk in the Washington, DC area on October 28, where they described the Good Pastor Curriculum being implemented in the fall of 2007. Deborah and Fr Steven Belonick traveled to St George Church in Pittsburgh, PA on November 12 where SVS alumnus Fr John Abdalah is pastor, and to Archangel Michael Church in Broadview Heights, OH on November 13 where SVS alumnus Fr John Memorich is pastor. At both locations, the Belonicks informed alumni of the news on campus, the dean search, and the new curriculum. The alumni enjoyed the fellowship with each other and the connection with the seminary. If you would like to host a gathering in your area, please contact Fr Steven Belonick at 914-961-8313, ext. 328 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

SEMINARY CHORALE READIES FOR TRIP

St Vladimir’s Seminary Chorale, an all-male singing group for this occasion, will be visiting parishes in the Connecticut and Massachusetts area from January 15-21, 2007. In addition, this spring the Chorale is planning to produce a CD, which will be dedicated to Fr Sergei Glagolev, whose influence on Liturgical Music in this country is inestimable. The SVS alumni budget will fund the project and proceeds from the sale of the CD will contribute to the work of the Alumni Office.  An itinerary is available: http://www.svots.edu/chorale

CHRISTMAS RETREAT SET

The seminary’s annual Christmas Retreat for high school and college students is set for December 27-29. This year’s theme is “Inked or Sealed: To Whom Do You Belong?” The retreat will juxtapose the popular craze of tattooing and Christian “sealing.” Second-year student Gregory Abdalah will explore the scriptural and liturgical meaning of “sealing.” Third-year student David Jacobs will provide practical insights to maintain and protect the seal of God. And Fr David Fox, a recent MTh graduate from SVS, recent PhD graduate from Drew University, and pastor of St Nicholas Church in Jamaica Estates, NY will bring his experience as a counselor at Covenant House, a social agency for runaway and troubled teens, to explore the important question – Which Master do we serve? To register, contact Fr Steven Belonick at the seminary or visit our website: http://www.svots.edu/News/Upcoming/2006christmasretreat/
 

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY OPENS UP

The seminary has now posted an opening for the position of Chief Advancement Officer on its webpage. Please visit: http://www.svots.edu/Employment-Opportunities

FACULTY/STAFF NEWS

Fr John Behr, Professor of Patristics, will deliver a workshop entitled “St Ignatius on the Witness of Silence” at the OCF Winter Conference at Antiochian Village from December 27-31.

Dr Peter Bouteneff, Assistant Professor of Dogmatic Theology, is on sabbatical this semester. He is busy, however, writing a book for Baker Academic Press on the early Christian reading of Genesis 1-3. He received a Research Expense Grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc to help fund the project. As part of the grant process, Dr Bouteneff will participate in a conference from February 23-24 on theological research organized by the Lilly Endowment, Inc.

Fr Harry Pappas, Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology, will lead a teen/young adult retreat at St Thomas Indian Orthodox Church in Yonkers, NY on Saturday, Jan. 13 2007.

Dr Albert Rossi, Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Theology, will deliver three keynote talks at the OCF Winter Conference at Antiochian Village from December 27-31. The theme of his talks is “Be Still and Know That I Am God.”

ALUMNI NEWS

Fr Justin Patterson ('05) will become priest-in-charge of St Athanasius Orthodox Church in Lexington, KY, a relatively young mission in the OCA Diocese of the South on December 3. Our prayers and best wishes are with them as they begin this new ministry.

Fr Ilya Gotlinsky (M.A.'03) is leading two tours-pilgrimages this summer. The first is “Ancient and Holy in Greece” to be held June 4-16, 2007; the second is “Russian Sacred Art” to be held July 22-August 11, 2007. For specific information and costs, please email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Fr Neil Xavier O'Donoghue (M.Th '05) recently received a PhD degree in theology specializing in liturgy from St Patrick’s Royal Catholic College, Maynooth. Co. Kildare, Ireland. His dissertation was entitled “The Eucharist in Pre-Norman Ireland: Practice and Society.”

Fr William Mills (MDiv. '97, MTh. '00) and Taisia are proud parents of Emma Mills, who was born October 3, 2006. In addition, at the conclusion of the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Sunday, September 24, 2006, Archbishop Dmitri of the Diocese of the South (OCA) awarded Fr Bill the palitsa for his dedicated service to the parish. Fr Bill also announces the publication of his new book entitled "Baptize All Nations: Reflections on the Gospel of Matthew for the Pentecost Season,” which will be available in early November.

Congratulations to:

Rico Monge ('08) second-year student and his wife Sara, are new parents of Diego Patrick, born November 20, 2006.

Aaron Warwick ('09) first-year student and his wife Gwen, are parents to their second child, Adrian Michael, born November 8, 2006.

Fr Mattew Cantrell ('07), third-year student and his wife Jennifer, are new parents of Joachim, August 22, 2006.

Protodeacon Kirill ('07), Director of Technology, and his wife Sophia Sokolov (’05), became parents for the second time with a newborn son, Gregory Victor, on November 22, 2006.

Fr Mousa Haddad ('07), third-year student and his wife Delia, became parents of their second son, Philip Victor, on December 7, 2006.